Effects of Cattle Traffic on Sclerocactus wrightiae

Cattle grazing has been a historic use of rangelands in Utah since pioneer settlement the mid-1800’s. Wright fishhook cactus is small globose endemic to an area 280,000 ha south–central and was listed as endangered October 1979, by U.S. Fish Wildlife Service (USFWS). By 2010, concerns were expressed that soil compaction proximity posed threat this species, though there no empirical data support such concerns. In order assess impact cattle traffic on cactus, we used imprint device simulate cow track’s impact. We applied treatment either zero, one, or four hoof imprints within 15 cm evenly 146 cacti same population cluster day. monitored subsequent plant survival well reproductive success. Each study visited multiple times all developed seed collected. found any amount had effect production and, therefore, concluded poses cactus. The status yields justification for changing land management these rangelands.